Gone
by Lady Pirate 1214
Summary: The long awaited sequel to "Forgotten". Follow Arael once more as she scrapes together what's left of her life and attempts to move on. What she doesn't expect is the interference of the Spirit World as the portals are opened. Spans across Books Two and Three.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Well, hello loves! It seems like it's been a long time since I uploaded anything here. As promised, I have begun the sequel to "Forgotten"! I apologize for the delay (although I warned you about it), but I had absolutely no idea how I was even going to start this thing until the series came to an end. Although it no longer will be illustrated for us in moving pictures, it still lives on in our hearts and imaginations and I am determined to spill mine onto virtual paper for all of you. So, for those of you new to my fan series, please read "Forgotten" before you read "Gone" lest I leave you completely baffled and confused (and not to mention having the first story spoiled)! Enjoy!

* * *

The gentle lapping of waves was the first sound to touch Arael's ears. She wondered briefly if perhaps she had fallen asleep at the beach. Her mind was fuzzy, like she had slept for a long time and she shifted her position slightly, only to stop when she realized she wasn't on a towel on the sand. Instead, warm covers were pulled up to her shoulders and she was laying on a very comfortable bed. Had she dreamt about the waves? No, she could still hear the steady lapping sound. Her world seemed to sway in rhythm with it and she thought maybe she was going crazy. Slowly, her blue eyes opened and her unclear vision was greeted by a dim light.

Blinking, she sat up and glanced around, confused. This wasn't her bed. She touched the scarlet fabric of the bedspread, confused further by how soft it was. Lifting her eyes, she glanced about the room, taking in the sparse yet lavish furniture. A dresser to her left and a desk strewn with papers, both bolted to the floor. The walls were painted the same shade of scarlet and as she took it in, she noticed they were metal. Her gaze stopped on a tapestry hanging on the wall with the Fire Nation insignia woven into it. Where was she?

Pulling the covers aside, she slid her legs over the side of the bed, putting her bare feet on the cold metal floor. Was she in a cell? She frowned and glanced around, noticing a door on the other side of the room. It didn't have any bars, but she would try it just to make sure. Pushing herself up, she gasped as her legs gave out beneath her and she fell forward, grabbing on to the dresser for support. What was wrong with her? She leaned against both the dresser and wall, letting her legs slowly adjust to her weight. Now that she was standing, she noticed the room really was rocking. Was she on a boat? That would explain the metal walls, the sound of water, and the bolted down furniture.

Finally steady on her feet and curious of where she was, she slowly approached the desk and picked up a few of the papers. She scanned over them, unable to understand anything except that they were coordinates and different positions of various ships. She set them down and let out a slow breath, skimming the other papers and parchments on the desk for any clues of where she was. She noticed a large map of the world spread underneath the mess and tilted her head to look at the markings on it.

"Find anything interesting?"

She jumped at the smooth voice from behind her and turned to find General Iroh standing in the doorway. He had his arms crossed over his broad chest and a small smile played on his lips as he leaned against the door frame. He was dressed in casual attire which confused her further.

"I was just trying to figure out where I am," she said defensively, crossing her arms and leaning her hip against the desk. He frowned and pushed off the doorway, approaching her steadily and reaching out to cup her chin. He gently tilted her face up so she was looking at him and his golden eyes studied hers intently. She was shocked by his sudden proximity and stood frozen for a moment before pulling out of his reach.

"What are you doing?" she asked harshly, moving backwards with a scowl on her face.

He held his hands up and made no move to approach her. "I just wanted to make sure Korra didn't do anything to mess with your head." He dropped his arms and gave her a small smirk. "I think you're fine. Just as strong-willed as I remember."

"What are you talking about? Where am I?" she asked bluntly, a little miffed that he seemed to enjoy her confusion.

"My ship. We thought it would be the safest place for you after the trial."

She frowned and looked away, the memories quickly returning of her trial. And the verdict. Suddenly, she became painfully aware of the water lapping against the other side of the wall. She turned her head toward it, wondering if the people who put her here realized how cruel they were truly being. She couldn't feel it anymore. The pull toward the water was just a quickly fading memory in the back of her mind. Her heart ached and she wrapped her arms around herself, not caring about how pitiful she looked to the man before her.

"Who's 'we?'" she asked slowly, lifting her eyes to meet his even gaze.

"You're father and I. Your boyfriend wasn't too fond of the idea."

Mako. "Where is he?"

"Who, Mako? He's back in Republic City. I heard he got a job on the police force."

Arael frowned at his words, growing confused once more. "What do you mean 'back in Republic City?'"

He was quiet for a moment, seeming to realize that she didn't quite understand what he was getting at. "We're going to the Fire Nation. We should be arriving soon."

"Wait, I thought I was allowed to remain in Republic City," she said, her voice rising slightly as she began to grow upset.

"You were. You're father just thought it would be safer for you to skip town for a while. There are a lot of people who are upset with your participation in the Equalist movement and we think it's best you stay away until everything settles down."

"And nobody thought it was important to wait until I woke up to give my input on this?" she asked, her panic quickly changing to anger.

"We're just doing what's best for you, Arael," he told her, his voice and expression calm.

"Who are you to make that decision? Why are you even helping me?"

"Instead of asking why people are helping you, you should just be thankful," he said, his voice slightly terse as his eyebrow furrowed. "I am your only ally at the moment. All of Republic City sees you as the enemy. There was a crowd of protesters waiting outside of the courthouse who cheered when I carried you out unconscious because they thought you were dead. Your father needed to stay behind and help rebuild the city after Amon's reign of terror and I volunteered to take you to safety because there was nobody left. So just say thank you."

Arael was taken aback by his scolding and she had no other argument. Instead, she felt tears spring to her eyes and she slowly sunk to the floor, dropping her face into her hands. How could everything have gone so wrong? She was a convicted criminal, hated by all of Republic City. She had lost her way and now it lost her everything. She hadn't even gotten to say goodbye to those who were left that cared for her. Amon was dead. Her parents had sent her away. Mako had stayed behind. And now she was on a strange ship with a man she barely knew taking her to a place she'd never been, all because she was a bloodbender. No, she had _been_ a bloodbender. All that was left of her attachment to water was an empty cavern inside of her. She was utterly and completely alone.

Iroh cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably in front of her. "I'm sorry. I know this is a lot for you to take in all at once. I'll, um…I'll bring back something for you to eat." The sound of footsteps leaving only made the emptiness more prevalent. Leaning her head back against the desk, she shut her eyes, feeling the unreachable fluid leak down her cheeks. None of this would have happened if Korra hadn't come. She was the one who disrupted all of their lives. But at the same time, it was Arael's own fault too. Her hatred for Korra had sent her straight into Amon's arms. If she had just tried harder to remain friends with the Avatar and hadn't let her emotions lead her like a child, it could have been avoided as well. She would still have Mako and Bolin. She would still have her bending.

The sound of footsteps returning cut through her thoughts and she quickly wiped away her tears, looking up as Iroh returned with a plate of food. He settled onto the floor beside her, assuming the same position as she was and held out the plate to her. She merely shook her head, dropping her eyes to her lap. "I'm not hungry," she murmured. The thought of eating made her sick to her stomach. Iroh sighed, setting the plate down on the floor beside him.

"You know, I remember you from when we were kids. My mother took many trips to Republic City back then for diplomatic reasons and I would always accompany her. My grandfather always insisted that family stay together because he lost his mother when he was young and his wife died long before I was born. We used to play together, but you were probably too young to remember. I was shocked when I heard about the trial. Every time I picture Arael Gan Ling, I think of the cute little three year old who would follow me everywhere and copy every single thing I did. Sure, I've seen you at a distance at balls and fundraisers, but the image of you when you were younger just stuck with me. So when I saw you at the trial, I just couldn't believe someone that innocent would be able to do the things you were accused of. I guess I was biased. It was two against one in the deliberations. I'm sure you figured Councilman Tenzin would vote in Korra's favor, but he didn't want you to die. He's watched you grow up. He wanted anything but your death. So I made the proposition that if Korra took your bending away, you wouldn't be perceived as a threat anymore and you could continue to live peacefully. I've experienced war before, and I've seen how hard it is to piece together a normal life after everything is destroyed. I'm trying to help you now. This is your chance to change for the better. But in order for that to happen, you need to come to terms with what happened and take care of yourself. You can start by eating this," he finished, holding the plate out to her.

Arael looked up at his offering, chewing on her lip as she thought about his words. He was right. she did need to come to terms with everything that happened. But he couldn't expect her to make a complete turn around and suddenly be okay with her misfortunes.

He could see her hesitation and he opened his mouth to speak again, but she cut him off. "Why did you make your judgment based on how I was as a child? That doesn't define who I am now."

He was quiet for a moment, before he let out a soft sigh. "Amon manipulated you and took advantage of you. He did that to a lot of people, yet they were allowed to return to their lives without being tried or found guilty for their involvement in the Equalist movement. It was only because of your abilities that you were put on trial. You aren't an inherently bad person because you can bloodbend, Arael. If you were, you would have been an evil child. Our abilities shouldn't define who we are, but how we apply them should. Your father was right; you eliminated a terrorist. You single-handedly saved Republic City. The means might not be ethical to most people, but I'm a soldier. I understand that sometimes there's only one option. You should be heralded as a hero because you did what no one else could."

She lifted her gaze to meet his and he gave her a halfhearted smile of encouragement. "Please eat."

She sighed and took the plate from him. He seemed pleased with himself for convincing her to eat and he got to his feet to leave her in peace. She thought over his words as she slowly began to eat. He was right that Amon had manipulated her and used her own emotions against her, but he hadn't made her hate Korra. That hatred had grown before he took her. He had given her the ability to bloodbend. But Iroh had made some valid points. It would be hard, but she would get past it.

When she ate as much as she could stomach, her eyes focused on the metal wall, listening to the temptation of the sea on the other side, taunting her with its constant lapping. She reached out mentally toward it, trying to feel it again, but all she grasped was nothing. The connection was broken. She had no contact with her element. Tears welled in her eyes once again at the emptiness she felt. How could she have let Amon do this to so many people? It was the most awful feeling she could imagine, being unable to have what once you could. Surely Korra was pleased with herself now. There was nothing else that she could take away.

Korra didn't matter anymore, though. It was over between them. The Avatar won, which was good. Things would die down and eventually and Arael would be able to return home. For now, all she needed to focus on was getting through the time between the present and her return.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Seven Months Later…**_

A blast of fire whizzed by, inches from her ear, and Arael instinctively ducked toward the ground, only to see another was coming at her straight on. She leapt out of the way and continued to twist and turn, duck and leap, weaving her way through the continual blasts of fire until she was too close to Iroh for him to safely use firebending. He engaged her in hand to hand combat, exchanging blows and punches ruthlessly. He'd learned quickly in their time together not to go easy on her. It was only a moment before his leg buckled beneath him from a blow to the back of his calf, sending him to his knees, and Arael held her hand against his throat, a pleased smile on her lips. He looked up at her with amused golden eyes, knocking her hand away and climbing to his feet.

"I was distracted."

She snorted at his excuse, walking to the edge of the court yard to grab a towel and wipe the sheen of sweat from her face. "Never heard that one before." She turned toward him, giving him a small knowing smile as he approached and grabbed his own towel.

Sparring had become a regular hobby between the two ever since Arael had arrived at the Fire Nation Palace. She needed something to distract her from her thoughts and it had proven the perfect way to do just that as well as help her stay in shape. It surprised her at first how well she could keep up with the Fire Nation General, but it became apparent that her training with Amon had not been only self-defense. He had created an army of close combat fighters. It had never dawned on her while she worked with her cousin, but she was almost proud of the skill she had learned, even if she now considered that portion of her life one of her darkest moments.

They hadn't initially started out so roughly. Iroh had been worried about accidentally harming her, although he quickly learned that the girl could hold her own, as well as take a beating. After all, she had been a Pro-Bender for a while. She was used to falling off an arena and being hit with earth discs. When they got bored, they added new challenges, and eventually, she convinced him to let loose and use firebending. Her reflexes had certainly improved after being singed a couple of times.

As was their ritual after a work out, the two sat down at a waiting table for tea. Iroh flipped the radio on and Korra's voice came through, crackling at first as it warmed up and then smoothing out: "…guide the world toward peace and balance. Harmonic Convergence has caused a shift in the planet's energy, I can feel it. Things will never be the same again. We are entering a new age."

Arael lifted her gaze curiously to the firebender across from her. She hadn't realized that something had been occurring big enough to concern the Avatar. Iroh sighed at her look, and she could immediately tell that he knew something about whatever Korra was talking about. She looked at him expectantly and waited for him to explain further.

"There was a civil war between the Water Tribes recently and Korra's uncle went power crazy and somehow managed to involve the Spirits. It doesn't really concern us, to be honest. Avatar Korra took care of everything before the fleet was needed."

Arael nodded slowly, a little confused by the brief explanation, but not too concerned with what it implicated. However, she did grow a little curious. "Does this make my trial old news?"

Iroh shrugged. "I'll have to send a message to your father to see how things are going."

Arael nodded, despite how frustrating his vague answer was. Although Iroh had taken good care of her since he brought her to the Fire Nation, it was obvious that he was acting as her jailer in a way. She was allowed to do as she pleased throughout the palace, but there was always someone around to keep an eye on her. And she was never allowed to leave the confines of the palace, especially alone. Iroh wasn't around a whole lot because of his duties with the First Division of the United Forces, so Arael was mostly left to her own devices. This included Pai Sho with the guards and reading anything she found interesting in the vast library. Occasionally, she would be honored with the presence of former Fire Lord Zuko, who would request she humor an old man with a game of Pai Sho or a cup of tea. He didn't seem to dislike her at all and often told her stories of his younger life when he worked with and against Avatar Aang. He seemed to understand that there were two sides to every story and he didn't have any animosity toward her after her previous actions. She rarely saw Fire Lord Izumi, who didn't seem fond of her at all, and Arael knew well enough to stay out of her way.

"Will you send the message soon?" she asked, her voice a little hesitant. She hated to ask much more from Iroh, but she really wanted to get back to Republic City and return to a somewhat normal life.

Iroh gave her an unreadable look, one of his practiced political strategies. "It will get done. For now, I think it's best you get to bed. We trained pretty late."

Arael nodded, rising to her feet and slinging her towel over her shoulder. It was best that she didn't push things with him. After all, she was far from his first priority. Returning to her room, she changed out of her sweaty clothes and rinsed off before sliding into her bed. She was finally alone, despite the guard standing outside of her bedroom door.

In these moments, her heart ached for Mako. It had been two months since she had last heard from him. They had to keep in contact through letters and his response to her last one never came. She missed him horribly and she worried that something must have come up to stop his letters. They had become increasingly distant and she worried that he had given up on her returning home.

* * *

The following day, Arael had felt…different. Not a bad different, but something along the lines of more aware. She felt more alert and noticed more things that usually didn't catch her attention. She certainly felt livelier. Some spark had been put back into her personality. Iroh had noticed a change over dinner and commented, but she just brushed it off. She didn't know what had gotten into her.

During their sparring match, she was even more on top of her game. He couldn't touch her. She was fluid as water as she danced away from his flames and blocked his blows. She could tell that Iroh was growing increasingly frustrated. His attacks were becoming more violent, his punches more deliberate. When they started again after she defeated him for a fourth time, he was the first to make a move. He sent a rather forceful bout of fire out before she was ready. Instinctively, she pulled her arms in, closing her eyes against the inevitable blast.

There was a loud sizzle, a gasp from Iroh, and no intense burn from the flames.

"Arael."

She peeked out from between her arms in her crouched position, catching a glimpse of the look of absolute disbelief on his face. The ground was wet in front of them, the water in the turtle duck pond beside them swishing like it had been disturbed.

"How?" Iroh was at a loss for words, grasping for something to say, his mouth opening and closing like a fish.

Slowly unfolding from her defensive position, Arael got to her feet, her eyes falling to the pond. She could_ feel_ it. The water. That was why she had felt so different that day. She felt whole again. With a giddy laugh, she pulled a pillar of water out of the pond, freezing it in place and then letting it collapse back into liquid form. She thought she would never feel the bond with her element again.

"I need to report this," Iroh said suddenly, turning and starting to walk in a daze out of the courtyard.

"Wait! Iroh!" Arael ran after him, stopping straight in front of him and throwing her arms out as if to block him from leaving. "Please don't tell them. We can keep it a secret."

He frowned at her request, brushing past her. "I'm not going to lie to them. This is information they need to know."

"Please, I won't do it in front of anyone," she begged, following after him.

"Arael, stop!" She stopped in her tracks at the biting tone, shocked by the authority in his voice. "I have to report this. It's my duty." He seemed to recognize that he had hurt her and his expression softened. "I'm sorry." He turned and continued into the palace, stopping only to tell a guard to keep a closer eye on her.

Arael watched, heartbroken as he left. How could he do that to her? She was whole again and he wanted to take what she had already lost away again. She couldn't go through that again; the months of depression and emptiness. It had taken a lot to pull her out of the slum she had been in and he wanted to send her straight back into it. She couldn't do it. She _wouldn't_ do it.

Turning on her heels, she darted toward the turtle duck pond and dove in, relishing in the feeling of the water on her skin as she pulled it to her, surrounding herself in it and cushioning her dive before she hit the bottom. There were muffled shouts coming through the bubble of peace she had created, but she didn't care. She would rather die wrapped in the loving arms of her element than have it ripped away from her soul once more. There were hands tugging on her, trying to rip her away now but she resisted, clinging tightly to the part of her she could never lose again. The air had left her lungs and the world was starting to fade. She didn't care. As long as she had water, she would die happily.


	3. Chapter 3

_The forest was silent save for the occasional gust of wind that sent the bare tree branches clinking against each other. Arael stepped carefully through the untouched snow, noticing a figure in front of her. Upon hearing the crunch of the snow under her feet, the figure turned, pale blue eyes fixing on her face._

_"Noatak?" Arael asked in surprised confusion. His furrowed brows smoothed into a pleasant expression upon seeing her and a faint smile touched his lips._

_"Hello, Arael," he greeted her._

_"But you're-"_

_"Dead? Maybe in the physical world, but nobody dies for good. A part of me lives on in all of those I have touched. Especially you."_

_A small frown touched her lips at his words, but she remained silent, unsure of what to say to him. After all, she had been the one to murder him. She wasn't going to apologize for her actions. She had done it to protect Mako and she would do it again in a heartbeat._

_"Why are you so quiet? Come closer. You know I would never hurt you, Arael." She drew nearer to him, although her steps were hesitant and reluctant. He took a few steps toward her to close the distance between them and he reached out, cupping her chin and tilting her head as he gazed approvingly at her, like she was a prized possession he was admiring. "You look different; more grown up," he commented, his gaze returning to hers. The smile had never left his lips. "Mature. Nothing like the scared child who first came to me. I suppose killing someone weighs on the conscience." She flinched at his words, pulling away from his touch. "What, you don't like that word? Kill? That's what you did, isn't it? You killed me. That's why I'm here, dearest Arael. We still have a mission to complete."_

_She scowled at him, taking a few steps back. "What are you talking about?"_

_"I didn't spend all of that time helping you fulfill your potential for nothing. I made you what you are today: the most powerful bloodbender in the world now that I'm gone. And a killer. I intend for you to continue my legacy, of course. It is not to be all for nothing. You can have everything you could possibly imagine now. Power, fame, Mako. The world is your stage and all of its inhabitants are your puppets. If you get rid of the Avatar, you will have it all at your fingertips. Killing Korra shouldn't be a problem now. You've passed the final test."_

_She shook her head, backing away from him. "I won't do it. You can't control me anymore," she said defiantly, although feelings of fear and doubt had begun to creep their way into her heart and despite her best efforts, her voice shook._

_"You will do it. It's your destiny, Arael. Korra must die and you can do it. I know you can and I know you will."_

_"I'm done bloodbending. It's ruined my life." Her voice was small, lacking any confidence the statement should have held. _

_Noatak frowned, his handsome features twisting into pure rage. "You will do as I say!" he growled, lunging toward her._

* * *

Arael startled awake with a gasp, reacting quickly against her attacker. Iroh leaned over her, frozen in place and in obvious strain, his golden eyes showing the pain he was in. She realized she was forcing his arms behind him at an unnatural angle and her eyes widened. She dropped her arms releasing him from her hold. He collapsed on the ground beside her, groaning softly. "Damn it, Arael." Slowly, he pushed himself up onto his knees, looking over at her as his dark hair fell into his eyes, dripping wet. He was soaked, his clothes plastered to his skin and water still dripping off of him. She shivered as a cool breeze picked up and she pushed herself up into a sitting position, realizing she too was drenched. There were a handful of guards standing around them, all watching her uneasily. They were unsettled by the way she had reacted when she came to. Iroh waved them away before he fixed her with an angry glare.

"Why the hell did you do that?" he asked harshly.

"Why didn't you let me do it? It would have made things a lot easier for everyone," she retorted, returning his scowl.

"I'm not going to let you die under my watch. You're my ward."

"But you would gladly condemn me anyway."

He paused for a moment, his angry scowl falling into a look of defeat as he dropped his gaze. "It's my duty," he told her with a heavy sigh.

"You know me, Iroh. You know that I won't hurt anyone again," she pleaded, knowing it was her final chance to change his mind.

"You know me too and you know that I am bound by my honor," he said, fixing her with a stern gaze. He shook his head. "It's too late anyway. The guards have all seen."

Her shoulders fell in defeat and she shut her eyes, renewed feelings of hopelessness filling her. "You should have let me die," she whispered almost too quietly to hear. She felt cold metal slide around her wrists and a distinct clicking sound accompanied it. Her eyes flew open and she looked down to find herself bound in handcuffs.

"It's for your safety," Iroh told her earnestly, getting to his feet. "I'm going to go send the message. Just…stay here. Please."

He left her sitting there, unable to really move on her own anyway. She was cold in the evening air and she couldn't bend the water off of her without her arms. She stayed where she was as he had asked, staring down at her lap and her confined wrists. It wasn't too long before Iroh returned and helped her to her feet.

"I'm going to help you to your room. We'll keep you there until I get a response."

Arael sighed softly, looking away. "So I'm a prisoner again?"

"This is for your safety. If I didn't have to worry about you killing yourself, I wouldn't treat you any differently," he responded, sounding a little irritated.

She felt silent at that, unable to find fault in his logic. She couldn't say that she wouldn't make an attempt again. Her bending was too precious to her and it had been gone too long. If all they were going to do was take it away from her again, then she would rather be dead.

She was escorted to her room and the handcuffs were removed. She rubbed her wrists once the cold metal was taken away, looking up at the general. "I'm going to find out what's going on. I promise I won't let them hurt you," he told her. "Get some rest."

She nodded, watching as he left. She could only hope what he said was true. She knew Iroh would never intend for anything bad to happen to her, but he wouldn't be able to stop those who didn't want a bloodbender around, specifically Korra.

* * *

A few weeks passed. Those in Republic City were more concerned about a growing issue they were having with spirit vines rather than the revival of a bloodbender. Of course, they had protested against her renewed abilities and said that Arael should be executed. Iroh had told them that as long as she was in the Fire Nation, she had asylum and would remain under his protection indefinitely. Her father didn't like the idea of her remaining in the Fire Nation, but there was nowhere else she could go and still be guaranteed the safety she had under the general's jurisdiction.

She hadn't been the only person to experience the effects of the Harmonic Convergence. When Korra opened the spirit portals, cases of airbending began to pop up in previous nonbenders. The natural balance of the world had been restored and it seemed that Arael was meant to have her bending. That was what Iroh told her.

"Your turn, Arael. Unless you'd rather stay wherever you traveled off to."

Arael blinked a couple of times, returning to the real world. Fire Lord Zuko had been taking an extremely long turn in their Pai Sho game, and she had begun to dwell on the information they had gained in the past few weeks rather than watch and speculate what move he would make. She glanced down at the board, returning her gaze to the old man. "Sorry, I was just thinking," she said apologetically.

"You've been doing a lot of thinking since you received your bending back," he commented, watching her with a knowing look.

She nodded, sighing softly. "I just don't know how to feel. I'm more than happy that it's back, but now I feel like I'm waiting for Korra to return and take it away again."

"My grandson seems very adamant that that doesn't happen to you."

"Iroh can't protect me forever. It's very generous of him, but I feel imprisoned here. It's not the life I want."

"What's stopping you from leaving?" Zuko asked, sounding genuinely curious.

She paused at the question, lifting her gaze to his as she thought. Why did she stay? She certainly didn't have to. Maybe it was because she felt like she couldn't leave. There was nowhere else she could run. She shook her head, giving him a small smile. "It might be these games. It's my goal to beat you one day. Until then, I have to stick around."

He chuckled, sitting back and crossing his arms over his chest. "You're better than I was. When I was your age, I couldn't stand this game."

After he spoke, a guard came over, clearing his throat. "Excuse me, your highness. We just received an urgent message. Ming-Hua has escaped."

The good humor on the former fire lord's face fell and he rose to his feet quickly despite his age. "When?" he asked, his voice urgent.

"Yesterday."

Zuko made a noise of disbelief. "And it took this long to notify me?" He looked to Arael, motioning for her to follow him. "Come with me." Confused, she rose to her feet and followed the aging man as he quickly made his way to the farthest end of the palace. She didn't question him, worried by how concerned he had grown at the news. Whoever Ming-Hua was, it wasn't good.

When they reached the furthest corner of the palace, Zuko led her outside. Arael stopped in her tracks when she saw the beast waiting for them. _A dragon?!_ She didn't know the creatures still existed! She had heard stories of the fire lord riding one, but she hadn't thought anything of them. The dragons had long since been extinct. Its red scales glinted in the afternoon sunlight and it fixed its fierce red eyes on her. Despite how terrifying it looked, there was a spark of intelligence hidden behind the red irises as it gazed at her.

Zuko mounted the massive creature's head, motioning for her to do the same. She hesitated, unsure of the beast and confused as to where they were going. "Come on, I need you with me. This is of the utmost importance," he told her. She didn't feel as if she could argue against him, so she carefully climbed onto the dragon's head, sitting as Zuko instructed her. Once she was settled, the beast gave one massive flap of it's leathery wings, and they were launched into the air. Arael clung tightly to Zuko's robes, a rush of adrenaline consuming her at the new sensation. She had never flown before, outside of in an airship. It was terrifying and wonderful all at the same time. There was a new kind of freedom in the sky.

As they rode, Zuko explained to her briefly what was going on. There was a group of terrorists called the Red Lotus who had made it their duty to rid the world of the Avatar. They had been stopped and each of the four members had been placed in a high security prison made specifically for them in four separate parts of the world. Ming-Hua, an extremely talented waterbender, had been secured in a prison inside of a volcano where absolutely no moisture was available for her to possibly use to escape. He said no more, but Arael could assume that it was very bad for Korra that the waterbender had escaped.

They arrived at the volcano and Arael was amazed at the conditions the woman had been kept. She must have been a real threat if they had locked her away in a prison such as this. It literally hung in the middle of the volcano.

Zuko dismounted the dragon, instructing Arael to stay where she was. She sat awkwardly on the creature, waiting silently for the old man to return. She could hear him angrily berating the guards and after a few minutes, he returned and climbed onto the dragon.

"I hope you don't mind making one last stop," he said, his voice laced with anger. The dragon leapt into the air once more. "It's worse than I thought. It was other members of the Red Lotus that helped her escape."

"Where are we going?" Arael asked timidly.

"The Northern Water Tribe. It's their next destination. The last member is there and if she escapes, Korra will be in more danger than she's ever been in before."

Arael shivered at the thought, wondering what sort of people could make it their priority to kill the Avatar. She was reminded of her dream from a few weeks ago and she suddenly felt sick to her stomach. It had only been a dream, but Amon's message still resonated with her.

It was a long ride to the Northern Water Tribe, but when they arrived, three people waited for them. Zuko dismounted, this time gesturing for Arael to follow him. The arctic air was quite the change from the tropical Fire Nation weather she had grown used to and she crossed her arms against the icy chill that greeted her, wishing she had thought about bringing a coat.

"Is this who I think it is?" the man waiting for them asked gruffly, his eyes fixing on Arael with disgust.

"This is Arael. She's our only chance at stopping the Red Lotus from reuniting," Zuko said firmly.

"You mean to tell me that we've resorted to turning to a bloodbender for help?" the man asked with growing anger.

"If it's to protect your daughter, then I think it's the only choice we have," Zuko retorted and the man clenched his jaw. Arael's eyes widened as realization dawned on her. This was Tonraq, Korra's father. No wonder why he had reacted the way he had upon seeing her.

"I don't-" she began to say, but Zuko turned to her, gripping her shoulders and gazing at her intently.

"If there was a time in your life where you could make the greatest change in the world with your bloodbending, it would be now. And the change will be for the better. I know you swore it off, but you are Korra's only chance against these terrorists. You can't hold back."

She held his gaze for a moment, noticing how earnestly he looked at her. It was important to him that she stopped these people. She nodded to confirm that she understood. A sad smile found it's way onto his lips and he turned back toward the other's.

"Eska, Desna, would you be so kind as to lend us something warm to wear. I'm afraid we didn't dress for the occasion. Then we can proceed to the prison. Zaheer and the others will be here soon enough."


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** I wanted to take a moment and thank those of you who have gotten this far in my story. I'm really glad I get to share this with you and I hope you like the direction the plot is taking.

* * *

The stillness in the arctic air was unnerving. There was no sound around them yet the tension between the four figures was almost tangible. Desna, Eska, and Tonraq all stood beside Arael, eyes focused on the horizon in front of them. They were stationed near the prison in which P'li was being held. It was a deep cavern nestled between glaciers that kept the firebender too cold to bend. Arael had not been down in the cavern but she had looked over the edge into the sheer drop hundreds of feet below. It seemed impossible that anyone would be able to succeed at a prison break with how prepared they were, but Zuko and Tonraq still seemed on edge about the whole ordeal. She was growing more nervous about the eminent confrontation with the Red Lotus by the minute.

A red dot appeared in the sky and drew closer rapidly. The dragon landed before them with a spray of snow and wind that sent everyone's hair and loose clothing whirling. The arrival of the former fire lord eased Arael's worries slightly. Despite the fact that Zuko was far more experienced in these matters than she was, she still worried about the elderly man going off on his own.

"Did you see Zaheer?" Tonraq asked.

"The only thing I saw was a snowstorm heading our way," Zuko replied, indicating large white clouds that had gathered on the horizon and were rapidly coming toward them.

Tonraq frowned at the appearance of the storm, his eyes narrowing. "That's not a snowstorm. That's him. Everyone get ready."

The dragon lowered its head, allowing Zuko to step off. He approached Arael, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We have the element of surprise with you. We'll cover you as best as we can, but you are to ultimately keep anyone from getting into the prison with any means you deem necessary." She nodded at his words, a frown touching her lips as he moved away. She knew he was depending on her to use her bloodbending, but she had promised herself it wouldn't happen again. An image of Amon flashed before her eyes and she squeezed them shut. She would do whatever was necessary, but she wouldn't bloodbend again. And she wouldn't kill again either. She couldn't let herself.

Nervous energy surged through her as the cloud grew closer, moving too fast to be a natural blizzard. After everything she had heard about the Red Lotus, she was worried about just how powerful they were. It must not have been an easy task to put them away in their high security prisons. The reality of her coming face to face with the criminals became more real by the second as a vehicle jumped out from the cloud of whirling snow, barreling toward them. Two figures leapt from the top, coming straight for their line of defense. The others rushed forward to engage the enemy and Arael stayed where she was, scanning the situation. The twins went for Ming-Hua, Zuko approached the metal vehicle, and Tonraq aggressively went after Zaheer. There were no others, but she was dangerously close to Tonraq and Zaheer. She was forced to leap out of the way as the airbender blew a wave of air strong enough to knock her off of her feet. She had never fought an airbender before, but she didn't have time to worry about it. She sent two spirals of water at the bearded man, both of which he weaved out of the way, dodging a blow from Tonraq as well. She saw him as the biggest threat as he was the one the men had been most worried about. She and Tonraq exchanged volley after volley with the airbender, and he frustratingly danced out of the way of each blow.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a large bout of fire. She moved clear of Zaheer's attacks and turned to find Ming-Hua and a woman who must have been P'li standing there, ready to rejoin the battle. If Ming-Hua was there, then the twins must have been incapacitated. The situation was going to quickly get out of hand without them as they were suddenly outnumbered. Unable to do anything else, she reluctantly took a bending stance, concentrating on the two women. She'd never tried to bloodbend two people at once but they both stopped in their movements, their bodies now under her control. P'li's eyes fell on her and narrowed for a moment, widening in realization before a smirk crept onto her lips. Arael felt a shiver run up her spine. The woman inhaled and Arael barely heard Tonraq's shout of warning before a visible ripple in the air came speeding toward her. She fumbled for a fraction of a second, pulling up a wall of ice to shield herself. It barely emerged from the snow before exploding right in front of Arael and sending her flying back violently. Stunned, she lay there as her vision cleared, her ears ringing. It wasn't until Zuko appeared in front of her with a concerned look on his aged face that she realized she was laying on the ground. He helped her to her feet and she dusted off the snow, looking after the tail end of a new snowstorm as it disappeared into the mountains.

"What was that?" she asked in confusion, still a little stunned.

"A combustion bender. I should have warned you before."

"What was that?" Tonraq echoed Arael, although the question was directed toward her and with explosive anger.

"Easy, Tonraq. She didn't know."

"Those sons of bitches just got away and are now heading straight for my daughter! You had them!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't know she could do that," Arael said defensively, although her tone was apologetic.

"We'll intercept Korra and make sure she's safe," Zuko reassured the angry father. "We won't let the Red Lotus get near her."

Tonraq gave Arael one last glare before turning his back on her and storming off. She sighed softly, looking up at Zuko. "What do we do now?"

He grimaced, gesturing for her to follow him as he led her back to the dragon. "All we can do. I'll figure out where Korra is and then we'll intercept them. She'll be safest with you."

Arael's eyes widened at his statement. "I can't join them. Korra would never let me near her."

Zuko turned to face her, his golden eyes fixing on her sternly and stopping her in her tracks. "Arael, I don't think you understand the severity of this situation. The Red Lotus will do anything they can to get their hands on Korra and destroy the Avatar. Their goal is to break the cycle. Whatever differences you and Korra had in the past, they are irrelevant. You are the person most capable of protecting her and so you must. This isn't just about Korra, this is about the future Avatars too."

Arael nodded, dropping her gaze and saying nothing more. Everything that had happened between her and Korra was irrelevant. This was Arael's chance to prove herself. If she successfully protected Korra, she could return home a hero, not a villain. In the end, that was all she wanted: to be able to return home and live her life again.

"We'll return to the palace now. My grandson will not be pleased about this turn of events."

* * *

"You did what?" Arael flinched as Iroh's hand came into contact with the dark wood of the table, emitting a loud crack.

"I took Arael with me in an attempt to stop the Red Lotus," Zuko calmly repeated, his tone clearly conveying his dislike of the was his grandson was speaking to him.

"Grandfather, she is my ward. If anything happened to her while you were gone, her father would have my head," Iroh said, reigning in his anger.

"I assure you, Iroh, she was completely safe. May I also remind you that she is a free individual. She may do as she pleases and come and go as she likes."

Iroh's jaw tightened at Zuko's statement, but he said nothing else, bowing his head in defeat. He wasn't going to win that argument.

Arael cleared her throat, reminding the two men of her presence. They both looked down at her, as if realizing she was there for the first time since they had arrived in the room. "I think we should be focusing on the fact that the Red Lotus has reunited again. Iroh, we think it's best that I intercept Korra and work as a bodyguard to protect her."

Zuko nodded, glad for the redirection of the conversation. "She is the only person capable of protecting Korra from the terrorists."

"It would be unwise for Arael to go around bloodbending again. It's already been hard enough for her to clear her name, she doesn't need to stay in practice," Iroh protested.

"What do you suggest, Iroh? We confine Korra somewhere where the White Lotus can keep a twenty-four hour watch on her? You know the Avatar will not agree to that," Zuko retorted.

"This isn't a discussion we should be having right now. The rest of the members of the White Lotus should be present before we make any big decisions," Iroh said.

"We don't have time to gather the members," Zuko insisted. "I will fly Arael out to meet Korra once we locate her position. My decision is final."

Iroh let out a frustrated huff. "That isn't your decision to make!" Arael flinched again as his hands came into contact with the table once more. She got to her feet, tired of their bickering.

"No, it's not. It's my decision and I've already decided I'm going."

Both Iroh and Zuko looked up in surprise at her outburst, but she held an even look of determination. The argument was over and Iroh didn't need to say anything further. Zuko didn't hide his look of triumph.

Iroh let out a reluctant sigh. "I'll radio Bei Fong and locate their position. I'll relay the location to you tomorrow," he told her stiffly before exiting the room.

Zuko rose from his seat, looking over at Arael with a look of approval. "Thank you for doing this, Arael. You're doing the right thing." She gave him a small smile and nodded. "I will begin the preparations for us to leave. Be ready tomorrow. As soon as Iroh knows where Korra is, we're taking off." Arael nodded again, watching as the old man exited the room. She sat back down in her chair, suddenly feeling the weight of the responsibility she had accepted. She was going to have to swallow her pride and face Korra once more, this time as an ally and a protector. She didn't think the Avatar would take it well, but Zuko was right. They would need to put aside their differences and work together if they were going to stop the Red Lotus.


	5. Chapter 5

The hot, arid air of the desert was an unexpected feeling for Arael. She'd never been anywhere like the Misty Palms Oasis before, but this was where Lin Bei Fong said they would find Korra. According to the Republic City police chief, Korra, Asami, Mako and Bolin had all stayed in Zaofu for a while. Then they were attacked by the Red Lotus and the group was separated. Arael was worried to hear that Mako and Bolin had been captured by the Red Lotus, but Bei Fong didn't seem too worried about the brothers. Not only had the boys disappeared, but the Earth Kingdom was in turmoil after Zaheer assassinated the Earth Queen. Arael had met the snobbish woman at a few events and had never particularly liked her, but she didn't think she deserved to die. Zuko informed her that part of the Red Lotus's mission was to eradicate all of the leaders of the nations and force the world into chaos. They truly were terrorists.

Now, Arael was waiting with the former Fire Lord, Tonraq, and Lin Bei Fong inside of a tavern. Bei Fong was not exactly excited to see Arael when they initially met up, but she understood why it was necessary for the bloodbender to stay with the Avatar. She told the others that she was convinced that Korra and Asami would arrive in the Misty Palms Oasis at any moment.

True to her prediction, the two girls eventually entered the tavern, immediately spotting their table. Arael had opted to linger back against the wall, afraid of what Korra's initial reaction would be when she spotted her. She wasn't noticed as Korra happily rushed into her father's arms. They exchanged a few words and then Zuko was introduced.

"I met you when you were a very young girl. It's good to see you again, Avatar Korra," he said pleasantly.

"It's good to see you, Lord Zuko," Korra returned respectfully.

"I understand that you have gone through a great ordeal recently, but I have come here with a purpose," he told her, gesturing to where Arael was leaning against the wall. Korra glanced curiously in the direction he indicated, her expression immediately contorting to anger.

"What is _she_ doing here?" she spat.

Zuko raised a hand, silencing her fury. "I brought her here. Because of the Harmonic Convergence, Arael's bending has been returned to her." Korra opened her mouth to say something, but was silenced by a look from her father. "As a senior member of the White Lotus, I took it upon myself to appoint Arael as your new bodyguard. Her abilities in bloodbending will be of great assistance to you when dealing with Zaheer and the Red Lotus. I implore you to accept her as an ally and take advantage of this opportunity."

Korra looked at the man with disbelief. "You expect me to travel with her? She tried to take my bending!"

"I understand that you and Arael have had a rocky past, but she has turned a new leaf since the end of the Equalist movement," Zuko pressed, unfazed by Korra's rejection. He looked back at Arael, gesturing for her to come closer. She pushed off the wall, coming to stand at his side.

"Hello, Korra," she greeted civilly, dipping her head respectfully. She wasn't particularly fond of performing the gesture, but she figured it was necessary in regaining the Avatar's trust.

"I'm sorry, Lord Zuko, but this isn't right. She's a bloodbender and a criminal. I wouldn't feel safe with her," Korra declined, attempting to take a more respectful approach.

"Korra," Tonraq said with some authority. "I understand that you aren't fond of this idea, but it's the only way to keep you safe without locking you up somewhere. I've fought with Arael and she is skilled at what she does. I wouldn't agree to this if it wasn't in your best interest."

"They're right, Korra. She'd be a good addition to the group, especially with Mako and Bolin gone," Asami added, surprising Arael. She assumed that Asami would be on Korra's side.

Korra fixed her gaze on Arael, contemplating what everyone was saying. She let out a defeated sigh and her shoulders fell. "Fine, if it makes you happy. She can come along." She tensed, raising a finger at the bloodbender. "This doesn't mean I trust you. Do something stupid, and I'll take your bending away again without a second thought."

Arael's eyes narrowed at the threat, but she said nothing in response. If Korra thought she could put her through that torture again, she was dead wrong. Avatar or not, Arael was not parting with her precious element ever again. Despite those thoughts, Arael swallowed her pride and dipped her head. "I understand. Thank you for accepting me. I'll do my best to protect you."

Korra didn't look convinced, but she nodded, turning her gaze to Bei Fong. "Sorry about ditching you back at Zaofu." The chief didn't seem convinced, but they fell into conversation as Zuko drew Arael to the side.

"Now that my mission has been fulfilled, I will return to the Fire Nation. Please, do not hesitate to contact me if you need anything. My home is always open to you so long as I'm around to offer it," he said good naturedly.

Arael smiled, giving him a short bow. "Thank you, Lord Zuko. Will you please thank Iroh for me as well? I don't know how I'll ever repay him for all he's done for me."

"Of course. Be careful, Arael. I expect future Pai Sho matches with you." He gave her a final nod before walking over to the others and saying his goodbyes. It wasn't long after Zuko left before a loud crash came distantly from outside.

"What was that?" Korra asked out loud, voicing everyone's thoughts. Korra and Asami were the first to leave the tavern to investigate. Arael followed them a few moments later, surprised to see a large group of people gathered around the fountain outside. Korra and Asami were embracing two familiar figures and Arael hesitated to approach them. She wasn't sure how the brothers would react to her return.

As soon as Bolin noticed her, a gasp escaped him. "Arael!" he shouted, barreling toward her and encasing her in his thick arms. She was surprised by his genuine happiness to see her and she froze for a moment before wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and burying her face in his shoulder. She was overwhelmed by the mix of emotions she felt upon seeing him. Relief and guilt filled her, but most of all happiness. Tears involuntarily filled her eyes and she drew back to take a good look at his face.

"It's good to see you, Bo," she said softly and he gave her an easy smile.

She wiped away her tears, looking past him to see Mako standing a few feet away, a look of uncertainty on his face. She was probably the last person he expected to see. Slowly, he moved toward her until he was mere inches away, his gaze lost as he looked down at her. He reached up unexpectedly, his fingers brushing her cheek tenderly. "Is it really you?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. She nodded, unable to tear her eyes away from his. Without warning, he leaned down, his lips connecting with hers. She returned his kiss with vigor, her arms wrapping around his neck as his tightened around her waist. It conveyed all of the emotions they had experienced during the past eight months apart. When he eventually drew back, she felt like she had lost her breath. He hugged her tightly against his chest, resting his chin on her head. "I missed you so much," he whispered softly. She squeezed her eyes shut, her grip tightening around him. "I missed you too."

The sound of a throat clearing broke through their intimate reunion and they drew away, but not too far. Mako's hand found hers, his fingers threading through her own. They turned toward the person who had been trying to get their attention. A small old woman stood before them, a grin on her lips. "Mako, I'd love it if you would introduce me to this beautiful girl."

His cheeks flushed in embarrassment and he glanced at Arael apologetically. "Sorry Grandma. This is Arael. Arael, this is my grandmother, Yin."

Arael gave the old woman a gentle smile. "It's wonderful to meet you."

"You too, dear. Glad to see my handsome Mako found such a pretty girl." Arael giggled as Mako's face reddened once more, obviously embarrassed by his grandmother. "I'll let you two get back to being reunited."

She hobbled away and Mako took the opportunity to lean down and press his lips eagerly to Arael's once more, but in a much more chaste kiss. "We have a lot to talk about, but I need to speak to Korra first," he told her, giving her hand a squeeze before turning his attention to the Avatar. He approached Korra, putting a hand on her arm as a solemn look appeared on his face. "Zaheer has a message for you. He's headed to the Northern Air Temple. He's going to wipe out the new Air Nation unless you turn yourself in."

Korra's smile fell away. "What? We have to warn Tenzin!"

Mako nodded. "Unfortunately, we don't have a radio on the airship." Arael looked to where he gestured, surprised to see an Earth Kingdom airship haphazardly parked just outside the oasis.

"We can head back to Zaofu and contact him from there," Korra said decisively. "We need to hurry."

"Alright family, back on the ship!" Bolin called out. There were a few groans of protest from the small crowd and Arael pieced together the information she was missing. All of these people must be Mako and Bolin's extended family. They must have found them while they were escaping Ba Sing Se. Her heart swelled with happiness for the brothers. After years of being orphans with nobody looking out for them, they had finally found their people.

She looked up as Mako approached her once more, unable to hide the smile on her lips. "You found your family," she observed aloud.

"Yeah. Turns out all of my dad's side of the family was in Ba Sing Se all along," he told her, unable to contain his own smile. "Come on, I'll introduce you to them on our way to Zaofu."

She followed him onto the airship and once everyone was boarded, they set their destination for the city of metal that Arael had only read about. It was a relatively short ride, and when they docked, they were greeted by a small group of people. Arael quickly learned that it was Lin Bei Fong's sister, Su Bei Fong's family. Once Su was filled in on what was happening, they were quickly whisked away to a radio room. One of the operators got to work on trying to contact the Northern Air Temple, but there was no response.

"While they work on that, I'll go ready my airship. We should be ready to depart for the Northern Air Temple in a couple of hours," Su said, leaving the small group and taking Tonraq and Lin with her to help.

Korra let out a frustrated sigh. "I need to do something about this now. Asami, come with me." The two girls left, leaving Arael with the brothers.

"We can stay here while they try to get through to the temple in case there are any changes," Mako told them. They nodded in response and his gaze shifted to Arael. "I think we should talk while we can." She nodded and followed him over to a corner of the room, leaving Bolin to help the radio operator. "I wanted to apologize for never responding to your last letter. Things got a little crazy and I had to prioritize."

"It's okay," she reassured him, although his lack of response had left her worried. She hadn't considered what he might have been going through in the time he hadn't written her. It did make her a little sad that she was pretty low on his priority list though. She tried to not let it bother her too much.

He seemed reassured by her words and gave her a relieved smile. "How did you end up here? Last I knew, you were still in the Fire Nation."

She sighed at his words, shaking her head. "It's a long story. But the short version is, I got my bending back."

His eyes widened in surprise, disbelief clouding his expression. "How?"

"Harmonic Convergence. I woke up one day and I accidentally used waterbending."

Mako smiled thoughtfully. "I guess you weren't meant to be a nonbender."

"That's what Iroh said," she laughed.

"But that doesn't explain why you're here."

"I was getting to that. Lord Zuko wanted me to protect Korra with my bloodbending," she admitted. "He thinks I'm the only person really capable of protecting her from the Red Lotus."

His eyebrow's furrowed at her statement, confusion entering his gaze. "He…wants you to bloodbend?" He seemed uneasy at the thought.

"I know it's unconventional, but it's the only way. You've seen how powerful they are. They're all masters of their elements. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't stand a chance against them. I don't like it, but it's my duty now. And protecting the Avatar will surely earn me a ticket home."

Mako shook his head. "I don't like it. Bloodbending never leads to anything good, especially not in Republic City."

Arael frowned at his words. "I don't want to do it, Mako, but I don't have a choice. The balance of the world is at stake right now. I agreed to this and now I'm bound by my word."

Before he could say anything else, a loud holler of triumph came from the other end of the room. Bolin rushed over, excitement and urgency fueling his steps. "We've made contact with Meelo. I'm gonna talk to him. Can you get Korra and Asami?"

Mako nodded, glancing back at Arael. "We can talk about this later." She frowned at his statement as he walked away. What else was there to talk about? She'd given her word that she would do everything she could to protect Korra, even if it resulted in bloodbending. He couldn't change that because he didn't like the idea of her using her special ability. Besides, her bloodbending had saved him in the end. He couldn't really think it was all that bad.

_"It's your destiny."_ Amon's cold voice echoed in her ears.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: **Hello, lovelies. I apologize for this taking so long but the next chapter has FINALLY arrived! Hopefully the next one will not take nearly as long.

* * *

The room was a whirlwind of emotions as the Bei Fong sisters discussed a strategy of infiltrating the Northern Air Temple. Bolin's radio conversation with Meelo and then Tenzin had led to the revelation that the Red Lotus had already beat them to the airbenders. Now Zaheer was threatening to wipe all of them out unless Korra surrendered herself. Su and Lin were tensely arguing over the best way to attack the Red Lotus with the least amount of damage to the airbender population.

"The only plan that will work is for me to give myself up," Korra spoke up through the argument.

This sent everyone into an uproar of protests. Arael stood back against the wall, watching them silently. She knew it didn't matter what she thought in any of it. Nobody in that room, aside from Mako and maybe Bolin and Asami, wanted her there. Whatever the case, it wasn't her place to state her opinion. She was there to guard Korra, simple as that. However, it would be hard for her to protect the Avatar if she gave herself up to the Red Lotus. Yet, Arael agreed that the only way for the airbenders to escape unharmed was for Korra to surrender herself. Tired of the arguing, Arael stepped forward.

"Korra's right."

The sound of her voice surprised everyone in the room and they all turned to look at her. Most surprised of all was Korra, who clearly hadn't expected Arael to side with her. Arael didn't hesitate to continue once she had everyone's attention.

"The only plan that will work is for Korra to give herself up. We rescue the airbenders and once they're safe, I will go in for Korra."

"No," came Mako's stern voice, causing Arael to shift her gaze to him. "Neither of you are risking your lives like that."

"It could work," Korra said, finally breaking through her surprised silence.

"It could," Lin said thoughtfully. "But it's risky."

"You aren't seriously agreeing with that?" Mako said in bewilderment toward his chief. "I'm not going to let you guys put yourselves in that sort of danger."

"It's not a matter of you letting us, Mako," Arael said icily, growing frustrated with his argument. Mako looked taken aback by her tone, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Do you think you can handle it, bloodbender?" Tonraq asked, his tone skeptical after their last encounter with the Red Lotus.

"Bloodbender?" Su asked, looking at Arael in surprise. Everyone else in the room seemed to realize that the leader of Zaofu hadn't been updated on the identity of her newest guest.

"Arael was a part of the Equalists and Amon taught her how to bloodbend. But she killed him in the end and ended up being tried for her crimes," Bolin said, his green gaze shifting to the woman in question. "But I thought Korra took your bending away?"

"I did, but it returned to her after the Harmonic Convergence," Korra said, her tone a bit annoyed. Arael wasn't sure if it was due to the fact that she had received her bending back or if it was because the conversation was derailing from where she wanted it to go.

"I hesitated last time," Arael said, focusing her attention back on Tonraq. "It won't happen again."

She sounded more confident than she really was. Arael had sworn off bloodbending once she could bend again, yet she had broken that promise to herself already. Bloodbending was what had caused everyone to hate her, yet now they wanted her to use it. They didn't care about how she felt on the matter. To them, she was just a weapon, a way to protect the avatar. Even Zuko, who she thought really understood her, had forced her into a position she didn't want to be in. Perhaps all the time they spent together was intended to butter her up so she could be called upon when needed.

With these thoughts clouding her mind, Arael couldn't be around the others anymore. She left the room, letting them continue to debate over the plan. She made her way to a window looking out over the terrain of the Earth Kingdom as it passed below, her dark thoughts continuing to plague her.

All she wanted was to go home. She wanted to return to a normal life. No more Avatar, no more bloodbending, no more world saving. She wanted to go back to the arena and fight side by side with Mako and Bolin in their sport once again. Not against terrorists. She wanted to see her family again and feel like she belonged somewhere once more. She was tired of being an outcast, only good to anyone as a weapon.

"_But isn't that what you are?"_

She was startled by Amon's voice. She realized that her reflection in the window wasn't hers anymore, but Noatak's.

"What?" she gasped in disbelief. She wasn't dreaming, how could he be there?

"_A weapon. What do you think I made you into? Did you think I was helping you? Did you think that I actually cared about you? You mean nothing to me. The only thing I care about is the Avatar, dead. You were a means to an end. A weak child who was blinded by hatred. Everything I did for you, it was so you could kill her."_

His words stung, stabbing her painfully in the heart. Noatak was her family. He was evil, but family nonetheless. Surely that had meant something to him.

"_Family means nothing. All that matters is power. With the Avatar dead, there will no longer be an imbalance of power."_

"I won't kill anyone else," she told him, her words harsh from the hurt he had caused her.

"_Won't you? Aren't you protecting her now? How will you do that when there are more people out there who seek to harm her? Did you think you could imprison Zaheer once more? Clearly it didn't work the first time. Nor will it work a second or third. Zaheer must die. P'li must die. Ming-Hua must die. Ghazan must die. All the Red Lotus must die if Korra is ever to be truly safe. That is why the White Lotus enlisted you. They can't bother to dirty their hands, so they hired you as a mercenary to do the work for them. Because they recognize your power. They believe they can control you by dangling freedom in front of you. But you can take that freedom yourself. All you have to do is kill."_

"Arael?"

Arael snapped her eyes away from Noatak, turning to find Mako. His expression shifted from determination to concern when he saw her face. "Are you okay?" he asked.

She was confused by his concern until he drew closer, his thumb brushing across her cheek. To her surprise, it came away wet. She quickly reached up and wiped the tears away, unsure of when they had started falling down her cheeks. "I'm fine," she muttered, dropping her gaze.

"No, you're not," he pressed, reaching to touch her cheek.

"I told you, I am," she bit out, turning away from his touch. He stopped his movements, his expression growing frustrated again as he dropped his arm.

"Why are you so hostile all of a sudden? Back in there, that was unnecessary," he said, referring to the way she had lashed out at him earlier.

"You're being controlling. You keep telling me what I can and can't do, how I'm feeling…you aren't responsible for me."

"I'm just worried about you, Arael," he told her in exasperation. "You've been gone so long; how can I not be?"

"I'm not a child, Mako. You don't have to worry."

"Yes I do. Especially when I come out here and you're in tears. I'm sorry if I've been controlling, but I don't want to see you get hurt. I couldn't protect you last time…I…I can't watch that happen again." He reached out once more, cupping both of her cheeks and tilting her head up until her gaze met his. His expression had softened and his golden eyes were sad. "I love you."

Arael felt her anger dissipate at his words. She couldn't blame him for worrying about her. All he had done was support her, even before all of this happened. She couldn't imagine what it must have felt like to watch helplessly as she was put on trial and then taken away. He had been powerless to help her. She could understand why he was so adamant about her not using her bloodbending. He didn't want to see her get into more trouble because of it.

She sighed, squeezing her eyes shut and resting her forehead against his. "I'm sorry."

She felt his hands disappear from cupping her face, moving to rest on her waist. "It's okay," he murmured softly, his voice reassuring.

She drew back slightly, looking up at him earnestly. "I know you're worried, but I need you to trust that I can do this. It's why Fire Lord Zuko asked me to be here. I'm the only one who can protect Korra from the Red Lotus."

Mako gazed at her for a long moment, his golden eyes searching hers. Finally, he nodded, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Okay," he said, pulling her closer and wrapping his arms securely around her. "But after all this is over, we're going home." He pressed another kiss into her hair and a small smile fell across her lips. That was all she wanted.

After a few moments, Mako drew away, nodding towards the room they had come from. "They sent me to come get you. They have a plan now." Arael nodded and he took her hand, leading her back inside.

The expression on everyone's face was grim.

"Korra is going to surrender herself to the Red Lotus," Lin said, laying out the plan. "She already contacted Zaheer over the radio. Once she gives herself up, Zaheer will give us the airbenders. Those of us on the air ship will collect them and retreat to a safe distance. Meanwhile, Arael, Mako, Bolin, and Asami will infiltrate the Air Temple and search for Korra. Su, Tonraq, and I will return to the temple once the airbenders are safe to serve as back up in case anything goes wrong. Our biggest priority is Korra's safety." She gave Arael a pointed glance. "We can fight Zaheer and his lackeys, but you're ultimately the one who can immobilize them."

Arael's jaw clenched slightly at Lin's words. It was like Amon had said. Arael could read through the lines and clearly see that Lin was implying she kill the Red Lotus members. She didn't say anything, though, instead choosing to nod her understanding.

"Does everyone understand the plan?" Lin asked, her stern gaze shifting across the room. Everyone nodded. "Good. This goes down at noon."


End file.
